After The Flood Part II

So this is only partly my story to tell because I was one of the lucky ones.  This one goes out to my man SD because my basement didn't get flooded this time.     

But I have been there.  I have had to throw out records, cds, comic books, concert posters.  And whatever is salvaged still gets boxed away for a time during restoration.  You are a collector that is instantly devoid of a collection.  

It is a moment that makes you sick - sick over looking at your ruined collection and, for me at least, it made me sick to truly recognize how much emotional power these items hold over you. 

There are all these other people that care about you and know you and they ask about the carpet and the furniture and THE DRYWALL.  Who the fuck cares about these things when there are dead and mortally wounded records strewn about? 

Serenity is truly a fleeting thing at this moment.  SD, I am here for you and I look forward to the next time we can listen to music together.   

*****

BTW: I did a google image search for water damaged albums and couldn't really find any and I think it is obvious why - no one wants to nail down for posterity what garish shape their waterlogged copy of Band of Gypsys was in right before throwing it into an industrial strength garbage bag.

But I did find this cool article about some rare Roy Eldridge records that were damaged in Hurricane Sandy.  The restoration effort meant that they had to continuously pour water on the records as they were playing one last time to lift the music off.